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AVMA Take 2
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Yes, it's another round of that classic guessing game - Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Abstract [or any combination thereof]. This effort - '03/'04 should address any queries, but then again, may just serve to confuse and baffle which some might say is the point of the game. Patience, integrity and a decent search engine may be useful ....
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Associated with a particular nation? In the mineral sense, Yes. In the abstract sense, No.
Unintentional creation? (*audience laughter*) No.
Does it have a flag? No.
Is the mineral gold?
A newly-formed island?
Gold? No. (It’s conceivable there’s some small amount involved, I suppose, but even if so, it wouldn’t be a helpful line of enquiry.)
New island? No.
Did the abstract sense exist before the mineral sense?
Metal?
Transuranic?
Abstract sense prior to Mineral? Yes.
Metal? In part, Yes.
Transuranic? No.
Is it wearable?
Does the abstract sense have to do with a work of fiction?
Wearable? *much mirth in the audience* No.
Connected to work of fiction? No.
Anything to do with the hydrocarbon industry?
To do with hydrocarbon industry? No. (There are surely some connections of some sort in the mineral sense (“anything to do with” is a vague phrase), but there’s no connection I am aware of that would be helpful or useful.)
Is there just one of the mineral thing?
Just one of mineral thing? You already asked that! Yes.
Is the physical thing some kind of token that represents the abstract thing?
Some kind of tokeny representation? No. Because I'm feeling really generous, I will tell you that the physical thing is the current instantiation of the abstract thing.
Is it, by definition, the X-est Y in the world, for some X and Y?
X-est Y? Yes *sustained applause*
The biggest pile of crap the world has ever seen?
The US Republican Party? No.
Is it the tallest Y?
Tallest Y? Y! *applause*
The tallest building?
Yes! The AOTC is “The tallest building in the world” which of course has had, and will have many specific instantiations.

I don’t seem to have a baton, but here’s a lightning conductor instead.
The next is a straightforward MINERAL.
Is the material modified by man?
Yes, it is modified by man.
Is it unique?
But is it art?
[CdM] It is unique.
[Tuj] Not a work of art.(A few grumbles in the audience)
Is it a feat of engineering?
[SM] (applause) It is a feat of engineering.
In North America?
(some chuckling in the audience) It is not in North America.
A bridge?
[Rosie] Not a bridge.
Is it fixed in one location?
(The audience are alert to hear how the chair handles this tricky question.)
[B] On balance, the least misleading answer is that yes, it is fixed in one location.
Is it terrestrial?
[SM] (applause) It is not terrestrial.
It's not JWST again is it :-)
It is indeed. I hadn't realised I did that 2 years ago. But some of the answers have changed since then! I'm afraid this baton has been punctured by several micrometeoroids, but it's still almost as good as new.
Well I feel like doing a MINERAL as well.
It’s not JWST again, is it?
Is it terrestrial?
I'm not trying to do the last game's questions in reverse. :)
JWST loop averted
[JWST] I would hope that only a bunch of the uttermost lunatics could manage to get caught in a loop in a game of AVMA.

... So, um, I suppose I should double-check then. (Double-checks AOTC) Nope. Definitely not the JWST. (Phew)

[terrestrial] Yes.

Is it fixed in one location?
oblig?
WTF is the JWST?
[fixed] No.

[Rosie] James Webb Space Telescope

A means of transport?
Jwst checking
[Transportation] No.
Is the material modified by man?
[man-modified] Yes.
Is there only one of it?
[Can there be only one?] No, there's loads
A drone?
Do you have at least one of these in your house or garden?
[drone] no
[in my house] yes, come to think of it.
A mobile phone?
[mobile] No. The oldest member of the audience peers farsightedly at their device and then claps, causing nonplusment among younger audience members
A remote control?
A pot? As in plants and cooking?
[Remote] No. Colder again
[Pot] No.
A ham radio device?
[Ham radio] No.
Did these exist in the year 1900?
[1900?] No, but in checking I was fascinated to discover that the fundamental discovery in use for the AOTC goes back to the late 1800s.
A metal detector?
Something powered by electricity?
[Metal detector] No.
[Electrickle] Yes.
A walkie-talkie?
[Walkie and/or talkie] No. The audience member, by the way, was just looking at an older-model mobile phone.
A hand tool?
[Hand tool] No, tenuously hand-related at best
An immobile phone?
[immobile] No. In fairness, the AOTC is not unheard-of on some older immobile phones.
An electrical component?
A loudspeaker?
An antenna?
First built 1888 by Hertz.
[Electrical component] Yes. (Claps from audience)
[loudspeaker, antenna] No and no. It took a long time before anyone found any application for the original discovery.
A battery charger?
[battery charger] No, not a battery charger. And can I just say I think it's disgraceful that we still keep chargers in such cruel and cramped conditions in this day and age?
Does it emit light?
A laser?
[emit?] No.
[laser] No.
A microphone?
A calculator?
[microphone] No
[calculator] No, (but a few more claps.)
A Leyden jar?
[jar] No. Too early.
A keyboard? With physical buttons?
A capacitor?
Quick consultation of the RS catalogue...
[keyboard] No.
[capacitor] No. I think it should be in there though.
A crystal radio?
Does it have any mechanically moving parts?
[crystal] No, but a clap or two.
[mechanically moving] No.
A movie prop?
An aerial?
[Props, aerials] No for both, and audience boos for getting colder.
Does it have a visual function?
Solid state semiconductoion (aka rectification)?
[Visual] Yes. [Back from boos to strong claps]
[rectification] No.
A liquid crystal display?
Raak wins!
[LCD] YES, that's the bunny.
I shall now ceremoniously hand over this thin grey-green rectangle with circuitry hanging from it, bearing an ancient congratulatory message: 'PC LOAD LETTER'.
Raak is going to choose the James Webb Space Telescope
I can tell...
I think Raak has been swallowed up by one of the Black Holes discovered by the JWST.
Let’s have another MINERAL. I can’t be sure that someone, perhaps even me, has not done this one before, but it’s not the JWST.
Doeas
Does it have a scientific application?
Dunno what went wrong there.
Is it a manufactured object?
[R] There is no known scientific application.
[SM] Not manufactured.
Stone?
Terrestrial?
[S] Not stone.
[SM] Non-terrestrial. At least, not specifically terrestrial.
Can you lift it?
[R] You cannot lift it.
Is there more than one of these things?
[S] It is not a countable sort of thing.
Is it the universe?
[SM] Not the universe. (There's exactly one of those, by definition.)
Is it an abstract concept?
[R] That could be argued either way, but for the sake of definiteness I'll say it is not an abstract concept.
The atmosphere?
[R] Not the atmosphere.
The ocean?
[R] Not the ocean. Non-(specifically)-terrestrial.
Related to planetary bodies?
Is it matter in one if the four basic forms?
[SM] Not related to planetary bodies.
[B] I’m not sure what the fourth basic form would be (plasma? neutronium? a black hole?), but this is not any form of matter.
Is it a form of energy?
[C] applause! It is a form of energy.
Sunshine?
[R] Not sunshine.
Dark energy?
Is motion involved?
Motion, I said, not motions.
[Rosie] Nobody knows, because...
[Radox] It is Dark Energy. Have this invisible baton that no-one is sure exists.
Energized
That was rather enjoyable, I'm not sure anyone foresaw that as being a property of Dark Energy. I am hesitating between something easy and something ridiculously specific. Therefore MINERAL is indicated, and if you hear a mysterious voice you should consult a doctor.
Is it ridiculously specific?
Terrestrial?
Is it made of glass?
Is it definitely known to exist (or have existed)?
[CdM] Yes. Not the James Webb Space Telescope, more like the receiver of the high gain antenna on the James Webb Space Telescope. Once you are getting close to this object, it will be fairly straightforward to get to the details (famous last words). And it's nothing to do with the James Webb Space Telescope.
[Boolbar] Yes.
[Tuj] No.
[Raak] It exists, has existed, and all bets are that it will exist for a bit longer.
The diagonal line forming the central part of the "N" on the Willie Rushton plaque at Mornington Crescent station?
ex-Great Western suburban 2-6-2 tank locomotive no. 6106?
It is a component of a man-made device?
Is it a doohickey?
[Tuj] No. Sadly.
[Rosie] No. Nothing to do with trains.
[Raak] It is part of something that was made by man, but hardly qualifies as a 'device'.
[Simons Mith] No. Nothing to doo with hickeys.
Is the capstone of a pyramid?
Are there more than one of this?
Is it a single colour?
Trying to be an increment more useful :)
One of the nine detectors that have been constructed at the Large Hadron Collider?
The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God?
[SimonsMith] No.
[Boolbar] There are, yes.
[Tuj] Pretty much, yes.
[Chalky] No. Hint: Far too recent.
[Raak] Nor isn't it.
Is it a weapon?
Are they found on multiple continents?
Are they all smaller than a toaster?
Related to architecture?
[Rosie] No.
[Tuj] No.
[CdM] No. It is larger than the entry for "largest toaster" in the Guinness Book of Records.
[Raak] Yes! (A collective mutter breaks out in the audience.)
Is this thing in the UK?
A castle ruin?
[Superman] Yes.
[Rosie] No.
Something to do with a bridge?
Ancient?
Made of stone?
Stonehenge?
[Boolbar] No.
[Simons Mith] Let's say in the last millennium.
[Raak] Yes!
[Rosie] No.
Concrete cows?
Related to ecclesiastical architecture?
[Simons Mith] No. But that would have been excellent had I thought of them.
[Raak] Yes! Raak wins three exclamation marks in a row and can now go for the big prize.
Bell towers?
A ruined abbey?
[Raak] No.
[Rosie] No.
Is it visible inside the church?
Are they in or part of a single building?
Stained glass?
[Raak] Yes!
[Tuj] Yes!
[Simons] No.
A rood screen?
The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior?
Is the church in question in England?
A font?
[Raak] No.
[Simons Mith] No.
[CdM] Yes!
[Bismarck] No.
Are all of them in a single church?
The spandrels on the northern side of the nave of the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Lavenham?
[CdM] Awww. I didn't even know St Peter and St Paul was dog-friendly.
Raak] Yes! (These things do exist in many churches, but the one I'm thinking of is only in the one church.)
[CdM] No. But definitely in the right sort of ballpark.
In London?
A Cheshire Cat?
An entrance or arch?
A Gargoyle?
[Raak] No.
[SimonsMith] No.
[Boolbar] No.
[Chalky] No.
Is the church actually a cathedral?
A pipe organ?
(Please assume the above is in italics.)
Bespoke embroidered hassocks?
I'm sure there's some church that has done something unique with its hassocks
A great dome?
[Being more sensible again]
A pulpit?
[Boolbar] No.
[CdM] Yes!
[Simons Mith] No.
[Raak] No.
Is the church Durham Cathedral?
[SM] I don’t think Great Domes are allowed into St Peter’s and St Paul’s.
[Raak] Yes! Out of all the cathedrals, why did you go for that one?
The Lego model of Durham Cathedral contained in Durham Cathedral?
Pure chance. I am also modestly ahead on all the lottery tickets I have ever bought.
A particular bible?
[Raak] No.
[Simons Mith] No.
Durham Cathedral's World Heritage Marker?
A collection box?
You get those everywhere ;-)
Is there a Harry Potter connection?
Is this thing specific to Durham Cathedral?
[Raak] No.
[Simons Mith] No.
[Boolbar] No.
[Bismarck] Yes! At least in the sense of the AOTC, which while all cathedrals have them to my knowledge, Durham's are unique, and don't forget the answer is quite specific.
The highest cathedra in Christendom?
Part of a tomb?
[Raak] No.
[Boolbar] No.
Is it in the nave?
[Bismarck] Yes!
The tomb of a saint?
Something to do with the floor?
[Raak] No.
[Boolbar] No.
I'm pretty stumped here. Am resisting Wikipedia though
There aren't that many things that you would find in the nave of a cathedral, Durham's are unique and there's a specific bit of one of them which is the answer on the card. Start with the obvious!
Something to do with the roof?
The first structural use of the pointed arch?
Not the answer
A sudden thought struck me - but it's Ely Cathedral that has a particular notable table in its nave at the moment.
1
1
555
1
555
1
555
1
555
[Boolbar] ...No.
[Raak] No.
[Simons Mith] Hint : not movable.
[1] No.
Since this is supposed to be a quite specific thing, the fortieth flagstone counting from the end?
Something to do with pillars?
Skateboard ramps?
It's a long shot, but I love the mental image of a bishop in full regalia doing an ollie
[Bismarck] No. Nice try, though.
[Boolbar] Yes! A verse of Hymn 116 breaks out in the audience.
[Simons Mith] No. Although there was that Bishop of Durham who might well have tried it had it been suggested.
They're carved, them pillars, is that it?
Is it a single one of the pillars?
[Bismarck] Yes! That is part of it.
[Raak] Yes! It is a part of that, too.
if you have never been to Durham Cathedral, then go now. If this is not possible, I don't suppose anybody would object to Googling some of the images of the pillars.
And...so...
Something to do with what material is used?
[Boolbar] No. Try guessing which pillar.
The fourth one on the right?
[CdM] No. But you're very close.
The fourth one on the left?
SimonsMith - Not that one. Hint: on the right.
Is it the way a pillar is carved?
[Boolbar] That is also an acceptable way of identifying the AOTC.
The fourth one on the left, coming from the other direction?
That wasn't quite as easy to work out as one might think. So
[CdM] Yes!
And I declare that to be the answer. Take this sculpted sandstone baton and go forth!
Congrats to CdM.
Is that pillar called the apprentice column? I have discovered a lot about Durham Cathedral (very educational this game) but that fact eluded me.
Apprenting
Yes, that's it. Luckily I stopped at ridiculously detailed answer and didn't go for asking for that error, or we'd still be here!
Whew.
Let’s follow that with a nice easy VEGETABLE
Does it rhyme with 'parrot'?
Wood?
Would it fit in my fridge?
Is it unique?
Rhymes with parrot? No. (Nor does it rhyme with "faddish", "holly flower", or "dead Babbage")
Wood? No.
Fridgeable? Yes.
Unique? No.
Does it have three syllables?
Trisyllabic? Yes!
Is it a fruit?
Is it perishable?
Does it having writing on it?
Is its Scrabble score > 15 ?
Ignoring double and triple word scores, but counting blanks as zero if there aren't enough of the right letters in a standard Scrabble set, and assuming a 50 point bonus for 8 letters or greater.
Obviously a word not valid in Scrabble scores zero
Fruit? No.
Perishable? Yes—but perhaps not especially so.
Inscribed? No.
Scrabble >15? According to the rules you specified, Yes.

A few clarifications/elaborations. I should have noted that there is usually a small MINERAL component and there can be an ANIMAL component. There is also a bisyllabic version of the AOTC (which would not score >15 in scrabble).
A processed food product?
Is a sport involved?
Is it commonly rectangular?
Processed food product? Yes (at least by the broad definition of "processed").
Sport involved? No.
Rectangular? ( a little laughter from the easily amused members of the audience ) No.
Is it green?
Amber?
Would it be found in the supermarket aisle where the crisps are?
Green? I hope not.
Amber? Not exactly, but that's in the right part of the spectrum.
Found with crisps? Interesting question. Sometimes, but it might also be found elsewhere.
Dried bananas?
Fizzy?
Dried bananas? No.
Fizzy? No.
Peanuts?
Peanuts? No.
Something you spread on bread and butter?
Opensandwichable? No.
Is it a rigid solid?
Is it a rhizome?
Is it spicy?
A crisp?
Does it have a mole in it?
Rigid solid? Solid—Yes. Rigid—It depends
Rhizome? No.
Spicy? Sometimes.
Crisp? No. (but a smattering of applause)
Moley? No.
Potato based?
Is the mineral salt?
Potato-based? No.
Salt? Salt is a very common ingredient. There might also be another mineral component, although it appears to be less common. (The possible ANIMAL component that I mentioned seems to be very unusual and is probably best ignored.)
(Also, in my answer to the "crisps" question, I said it might also be found elsewhere. That should not be understood to mean that the crisps aisle is the most likely place to find it in the supermarket.)
Crumpets?
As opposed to crumpet
Biscuit like?
Is more than one vegetable involved?
Crumpets? No.
Biscuit like? Um. Depends which dimension of buiscuitness you’re thinking about. I’ll say more No than yes.
More than one vegetable? Possibly, but the AOTC has one main distinctive vegetable ingredient.
Made from rice?
Rice-based? No.
Does it go hard when it's stale?
Bread?
Hard when stale? *audience murmurs in appreciation of the question* No.
Bread? See previous answer.
Is this edible in its natural form?
Made from a legume?
Originally Mesoamerican?
Do Kellogg's make a version?
Edible in natural form? Yes, technically.
Made from a legume? Yes.
Mesoamerican? No.
Made by Kellogg's? I'm pretty sure the answer is No.
Made from chick peas?
Baked beans?
A beanburger?
Chick peas? No.
Baked beans? No.
Beanburger? No.
Erratum: I have always identified the AOTC with one particular legume that has not yet been mentioned. However, further research reveals that there are variants, including the possibility of making the AOTC with chick peas.
Well now I can think of a two syllable word, but not the three.
Is the AOTC tofu-related?
Also, TIalsoL about Burmese chickpea tofu.
A waffle?
Pesto?
Soybeanish? No.
Waffle? No.
Pesto? No.
Poppadoms?
Lentil based?
A Poppadom (just one, I'm afraid) is indeed the AOTC! (So, yes, lentil-based). No one asked the P question. I and the audience were very taken with the fact that a poppadom actually goes soft when stale.

Have this rather fragile disc-shaped bato— erm, have these crumbs.
Does it -
Ah, too late, sorry.
Hmm. Thought of an ABSTRACT last night.
Begin with 'P'?
First mover.
Does it end with a 'P'?
At my age most things end with a 'p' at night.
Is it an -ism?
[P----P] No to both ends
[ism] No
A dream?
Is it the absence of something?
Is it the presence of nothing?
[Privatives, vaccuum] [No and nope]
[dreaming] Also no
Is the AOTC a single word?
Thought?
[unmarried word] yes
[thought] No.
Logic?
Could it exist in the absence of life?
[Logic] No
[Post-universal extinction] Yes.
Mathematical?
Inclement weather of some sort?
[Mathematical, weather] No twice.
Artistic?
[Artistic] ... Yes.
Beauty?
A colour?
[Beauty, colour] No and no.
Connected to music?
[Muscial] No...
A natural creation?
[Natural] No.
Is it something observable?
[Observable] Yes. [I did change my mind about this answer, but on reflection I decided you would have to narrow the definition of 'observable' significantly before it no longer fitted.]
A behaviour?
An instinct?
[Behaviour, instinct] No, you're all getting colder again.
When were we warm?
[Chalky] For me, some time around last September.
Is it spatially located?
[Spatial] No, not especially.
Would it exist if no-one were there to think of it?
[thoughtless existence] yes, I think
Entropy?
Aesthetic?
[Entropy] no
[Aesthetic] yes, but isn't that repetition?
A law of nature?
Recap 1
Artistic, observable, concept that is universal. Not an ism, nor related to maths/physics, seems unrelated to a being or personality.
Photosynthesis?
[legal, photonic] No and no.
[recap] Yes, pretty much.
Beauty?
Do you embody this?
[Radox] I see your pessimistic "1" ;)
Would it exist if the Earth and all its contents did not exist?
[Beatty] No.
[Tuj, embodiment] Do people embody it? No. If you meant in a broader sense, then maybe yes but you'll have to clarify.
[Independent of Earth's existence] No. I suppose it could maybe arise independent of Earth, but based on current knowledge I can only give a firm no.
A view?
[Hygge] Cute, but no.
[Views, whether vistas or opinions] No
Is it something observable using the sense of sight?
Is it an extreme?
[Extreme] No
[Observable using sight] No. I've been uncertain about the best answer to that for several days.
Would it be observable using a sensor for some other range of electromagnetic radiation?
Evil?
[Observable in EM] No.
[Evil] No.
Is it a sound?
Being foreign?
[Sounds] Yes (applause) Now you're getting somewhere...
[Furrin] Nah.
The Last Trump?
That riff from Also Sprach Zarathustra?
[Any number of Trump] Ingenious, but no.
[Also Sprach] Also no
Is the sound a song?
Is it a sound that most of us are likely to have heard?
It's an observable artistic sound which is unconnected to music. It's aesthetic, and not a natural creation, yet could exist in the absence of life and without anyone to think about it.
The Music of the Spheres?
Is it recorded on the Voyager discs, currently somewhere beyond Pluto?
Traffic noise?
A sound made by a fluid?
Zounds!
[Omnes] No. CdM gets a smattering, but even amongst this erudite crowd I can't see many of us having heard the AOTC. Still, I am of a STEM bent, and who knows what perversions students of, say, English get up to in private.
On second thoughts, I said "having heard the AOTC". Slightly better phrasing would have been "having heard an AOTC".
The sound of a tree falling, when there is no-one there to hear?
Is the sound recorded?
I remember in primary school I had a teacher who had a really old wax cylinder gramophone and once played a recording of Tennyson himself reading the "Charge of the Light Brigade".
[tree falling] No.
[audio recording] No. (A borderline answer, for the same reasons as whether it was sight-observable)
Is it artistic as a sound _qua_ sound?
The sound of one hand clapping?
[Artistic as a sound] Yes.
[One hand] No, too Zen
The sound of Raak hammering the taiko?
So I'm going for the double: is this a memory of a sound?
Is it known when this sound first occurred?
Over two months, better pull our socks up!
[taiko] No (Wish I'd thought of that as a q.)
[memory] Good guess, but no. (That too)
[known] Yes, actually. (Well, there's the usual scholarly quibbling)
An echo?
Is this sound only speech?
[Echo] No.
[Speech eech eech eech] No, more than speech.
The Big Bang?
Is it in a specific language?
Please ignore "in" of that's a better question...
[Bang] No
[Specific language] No. Trivia: The first one was in French, though
Is this "My Way", originally recorded as "Comme d'habitude"?
Since elapsed time is greater than a certain amount since the last proposition: is it anything to do with national anthems?
[Bismarck] No, twice. It's not musical
Something to do with recording sounds?
Is the sound made by a human?
[recordings] No
[human-made] Yes. At least, I don't think ChatGPT has had a go, yet
Is it linked to a specific occasion?
Summary:

Via negativa:
Does not end with a P.
Not an ism.
Not a dream.
Not the absence of something.
Not the presence of nothing.
Not thought.
Not logic.
Not mathematical.
Not bad weather.
Not beauty.
Not a colour.
Not connected to music... (those look like significant dots)
Not a natural creation.
Not a behaviour.
Not an instinct.
Not spatially located.
Not entropy.
Not a law of nature.
Not photosynthesis.
Not embodied by people.
Not independent of Earth's existence.
Not hygge.
Not a view (whether vista or opinion).
Not observable with sight.
Not an extreme.
Not observable by electromagnetic radiation.
Not evil.
Not being foreign.
Not the last trump
Not the 2001 theme.
Not a song.
Not a sound that most of us are likely to have heard.
Not the music of the sphere.
Not on the Voyager discs.
Not traffic noise.
Not a sound made by a fluid.
Not the sound of an unheard falling tree.
Not an audio recording.
Not the sound of one hand clapping.
Not taiko.
Not the memory of a sound.
Not an echo.
Not only speech.
Not the Big Bang.
Not in a specific language. (But the first one was in French.)
Not to do with national anthems.

Via positiva:
Is a single word.
Could exist in the absence of life.
Artistic.
Observable.
Would exist if no-one were there to think of it.
Aesthetic.
A sound! (The first real progress.)
An artistic sound.
A sound made by a human.

And not "My Way", originally recorded as "Comme d'habitude".
Does this sound come from a human vocal tract?
[Occasional] No.
[Human voice] Yes, it would do.
Is it the sound of someone imitating something?
Inarticulate?
[Imitation] No.
[Inarticulate] No.
I hope no-one is finding this too frustrating. I find it interesting how close you got and yet the right path has still managed to slip through the gaps between questions.
Is it ceremonial?
Is it humorous?
[SM] Surely you're the one whose frustration limit is most tested?
But is it art?
One originally French word is proving difficult, bien sur.
[Ceremonial] No
[Humerus] No.
[Repetition!] Yes
So it is art, and I win!?
Is it to do with poetry?
Presuming that artistic is the same as art, and so the puzzle continues. Now which of the Nine Arts could be referred to?
[winner?] No, but suddenly you're on the right lines
[Poetry] Yes. It's poetry. Claps and cheers from the audience
A sonnet?
Dies the Morniverse contain examples?
[Sonnet] No, but more claps
[Morniversal examples] No, not as far as I know. But I wouldn't put my shirt on it, because I haven't followed the poetry games very closely. It's possible.
Does it have a specific number of lines?
[Lines] Yes! Strong applause
Is the name of this form of poetry French?
Does it figure on this list?
[Two more yeses] Si and Oui.
A lai?
[Lai?] Non.
Was the first example composed before the 19th century?
A triolet?
[Pre-19th C] Bien sur
[Triolet] Non
A rondeau?
[rondeau, more like nondeau] Guess again.
Villanelle?
Raak did introduce this into the Morniverse over on Orange.
Bismarck has it
Villanelle is the right answer!

Sorry to be inadvertently misleading about there being Morniversal examples. I didn't know that had been done.
In lieu of a baton I shall pass over this lovely scroll sealed with wax.

*claps, cheers, generally goes wild*
Winning
Sorry about the delay, I had to go and lie down in a darkened room for the excitement to wear off. Unscrolling the scroll, I find this
MINERAL
concept for your delight. At least in the AVMA scheme of things, M seems the most appropriate: it might have bits of all of them.
Metalic?
Is it a Char D1 French light tank?
Is it fictional?
Is there just one of it?
And so it begins, unknowing...
[Software] Yes, largely so.
[Simons Mith] Not a French light tank of any kind. But a little bit warm.
[Boolbar] No, there is surely nothing more real.
[Raak] No, there are lots.
Something military?
Functional?
Would I have seen one frequently?
What roads cerebral will be taken...
[Raak] Not military. There may be military versions, but you won't find any book called Jane's Whatever-this-is.
[Chalky] What isn't?
[Radox] I'm pretty sure you're familiar with this.
A bicycle?
A steam locomotive?
Worth a shout even at the expense of cruel mockery.
Has it wheels?
Is it a machine?
In the quest, for only you
[Simons Mith] No.
[Rosie] No.
[Tuj] Yes.
[Raak] Yes.
It is a means of transport?
In the AVMA scheme of things is Metal always 'functional'?
Can comprehend the unseen way...
[Raak] Yes. It's a machine with wheels.
[Chalky] Yes. Mineral, like Animal, Vegetable and Abstract, all have functions.
Does it transport people?
Has it an engine?
In words and images unthought...
[Chalky] Yes.
[Tuj] Yes, it is motorised.
Is it most gregarius?
Is it normally able to transport at least 10 people at a time?
To follow, lead or travel there...
[Simons Mith] Not sure what that means.
[Raak] After thought, yes, though it poses some uncomfortable questions.
An escooter?
A motor-bike and sidecar?
A Tesla?
Does it have a reverse gear?
To unreal phantomatic places ...
[Software] Not an electric scooter.
[Rosie] Not a motorbike with sidecar.
[Radox The Green] Not a Tesla.
[Tuj] !seY
Does it run on rails?
Transport for the disabled/mobility impaired?
Fork lift truck
Has it been in a movie chase scene?
Does it begin with P?
Where transports delightfully await...
[Raak] Not rail guided.
[Chalky] I hope not.
[Software] Not a forklift.
[Simons Mith] Had to look it up, but Yes!
[Tuj] Sadly not, at least none of the common synonyms begin with P.
Was it able to achieve 0-60mph by 1970?
Does the machine stay in one location while moving people around?
[Boolbar] You've given me the idea, and now I want to see a movie with a chairlift chase in it!
Those lost and numb to ordinary love...
[Simons Mith] Difficult to say. On balance, No.
[Boolbar] No. Nice lateral thinking though.
Are these road legal?
A steam roller?
A light aircraft?
Though still the sea kisses the golden shore...
[Raak] Yes, very legal.
[Simons Mith] Not a steam roller.
[Rosie] No. A piece of three-dimensional thinking there.
Is it made by a particular marque?
Does it run on electricity?
A boat of some kind?
One of those special airport vehicles?
The Popemobile?
I really want to imagine that's been in a chase scene
With skies aflame in the sun rising..
[Tuj] No, there are many.
[Raak] As of today, yes.
[Rosie] Not aquatic.
[Superman] I think you'd find them in airports too, but they aren't specific to airports.
[Simons Mith] Not the Popemobile.
Is it larger than the average car?
Of an endless dawn awaking...
[Tuj] Yes it is.
A railway coach?
Diddly-dee, diddly-da.
Is it a Bagger 288?
I'm sure they're road-legal...
A low-loader?
Would you reject this heaven...
[Rosie] Not a railway coach.
[Simons Mith] Not a Bagger of any size.
[Raak] Not a lo-loader.
Does it primarily carry things other than people?
A vehicle transporter?
A cherry picker?
And still remain, and still remain?
[Raak] Yes, it does other things than carry people.
[Chalky] Not a transporter.
[Simons Mith] Not a cherry picker.
Is it for transporting fluids?
Dustcart?
End on the high note, fat lady.
[Raak] Not really, no.
[Simons Mith] I had "bin lorry", but "garbage truck" and "dustcart" have been judged equivalent by Mycroft. Therefore take this recycled and slightly smelly baton and proceed!
[Bismarck] Thanks very much! I had been wondering whether the lyrics you've been posting were clues.

I'm going to pick... another MINERAL

It might be about time to kill off this game and start a fresh one. It is ~40,000 moves. When I checked back for past repetitions my browser started to struggle.
A diamond?
A manufactured object?
[diamond] No.
[manufactured] No.
Unique?
[unique] Also no.
Is it mined?
Is it solid?
Does it begin with P?
[mined] No
[solid] No
[P] No
Is it a constituent of seawater?
Is it bigger than Battersea Power Station?
Is it safely potable?
reasonably, to the average person, say
[constituent] Yes
[station-sized] No
[potable] Yes
Water?
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